Cleaning system for medical imaging device

Abstract

An imaging catheter device includes a catheter body with a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen; a cleaning member disposed at the distal end; and an imaging device movably disposed in the lumen and through the cleaning member; wherein the cleaning member includes a conduit through which the imaging device moves and a flexible material at least partially occluding the conduit such that the imaging device displaces at least some of the flexible material when moved through the conduit. A method of cleaning an imaging catheter device includes disposing a cleaning member including a conduit and a flexible material at least partially occluding the conduit at a distal end of a catheter lumen; positioning an imaging device in the catheter lumen; and cleaning the imaging device by moving it through the conduit such that it displaces at least some of the flexible material.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An imaging catheter device comprising:
 a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending in a longitudinal direction; 
 a cleaning member disposed at the distal end of said catheter body; and 
 an imaging device movably disposed in said lumen and through said cleaning member; 
 wherein said cleaning member includes a conduit through which said imaging device moves; 
 wherein said cleaning member further includes a plurality of flexing flaps at least partially occluding the conduit such that said imaging device displaces at least some of the flexing flaps when moved through the conduit to clean said imaging device; and 
 wherein at least one of the flexing flaps is not aligned in the longitudinal direction with at least one other flexing flap. 
 
     
     
       2. The imaging catheter device of  claim 1 , wherein said cleaning member is movable relative to the imaging device. 
     
     
       3. The imaging catheter device of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is movable relative to said cleaning member. 
     
     
       4. The imaging catheter device of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid supplied to said cleaning member via the lumen of said catheter body. 
     
     
       5. The imaging catheter device of  claim 1 , wherein said cleaning member is disposable and is removably attached to the distal end of said catheter body. 
     
     
       6. A cleaning system for a medical imaging device, comprising:
 a housing for positioning at a distal end of the imaging device; and 
 a cleaning member disposed in said housing; 
 wherein said cleaning member comprises:
 a conduit extending in a longitudinal direction, through which the imaging device moves; and 
 a plurality of flexing flaps at least partially occluding the conduit such that the imaging device displaces at least some of the flexing flaps when moved through the conduit; 
 wherein at least one of the flexing flaps is not aligned in the longitudinal direction with at least one other flexing flap. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The cleaning system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of flexing flaps comprise silicone material. 
     
     
       8. The cleaning system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of flexing flaps comprise fabric material. 
     
     
       9. The cleaning system of  claim 6 , further comprising at least one spacer element positioned between adjacent flexing flaps. 
     
     
       10. The cleaning system of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of flexing flaps has a different color or texture. 
     
     
       11. The cleaning system of  claim 6 , further comprising a fluid supplied to said housing. 
     
     
       12. The cleaning system of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid is saline. 
     
     
       13. The cleaning system of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid is alcohol. 
     
     
       14. The cleaning system of  claim 11 , further comprising a lumen for supplying the fluid to said housing. 
     
     
       15. The cleaning system of  claim 14 , wherein the lumen accommodates a fluid suctioned from said housing. 
     
     
       16. The cleaning system of  claim 11 , wherein said cleaning member is impregnated with the fluid. 
     
     
       17. The cleaning system of  claim 16 , wherein said cleaning member retains the fluid via surface tension. 
     
     
       18. The cleaning system of  claim 6 , wherein a distal end of said housing has a rounded shape. 
     
     
       19. The cleaning system of  claim 6 , wherein said housing comprises flexible material such that said housing deflects away from bodily structures in a patient's body. 
     
     
       20. The cleaning system of  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of spacers, wherein each of the plurality of spacers is positioned between adjacent flexing flaps. 
     
     
       21. The cleaning system of  claim 20 , wherein two or more spacers are positioned between the adjacent flexing flaps. 
     
     
       22. A method of cleaning a medical imaging device, comprising the steps of:
 positioning a cleaning member at a distal end of the medical imaging device, said cleaning member including a conduit extending in a longitudinal direction and a plurality of flexing flaps at least partially occluding the conduit, wherein least one of the flexing flaps is not aligned in the longitudinal direction with at least one other flexing flap; and 
 cleaning the imaging device by moving at least one of the imaging device and the cleaning member relative to the other to move the imaging device through the conduit in said cleaning member such that the imaging device displaces at least some of the flexing flaps. 
 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , wherein said cleaning device is moved relative to the imaging device to move the imaging device through the conduit in said cleaning member. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the imaging device is moved relative to said cleaning member to move the imaging device through the conduit in said cleaning member. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of supplying a fluid to said cleaning member via a lumen in the medical imaging device. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the step of supplying fluid to said cleaning member further comprises impregnating the flexing flaps with the fluid. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of suctioning the fluid from said cleaning member via a lumen in the medical imaging device. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of supplying pressurized air to said cleaning member. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising repeating the step of moving the imaging device through the conduit in said cleaning member.